Driving mechanism



July 1 1924.

W. J. EICHENBERG F'ild July 22. 1918 ammo Patente July l, 1924.

WILLIAM J. EICHENBERG, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO INDUSTRIALCORPORATION, OF TOLEDO, O'HIO, A CORPORATION OF DELAW DRIVING MECHANISM.

Application filed July 22, 1918. Serial No. 246,135.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. EIOHEN- BERG, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Toledo. county of Lucas, and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Driving Mechanism, ofwhich I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription.

This invention relates to a driving mechanism for use in the startingsystem of an internal combustion engine. More particularly considered,the invention comprises an automatic screw gearing applicable in thegear train intermediate the electric starting motor and internalcombustion enme. g The principal object of this invention is to providea driving mechanism intermediate the electric motor and engine, whichhas flexibility and elasticity. and in which there is no spring orsimilar elastic member in the direct line of power transmission.

Another object is to provide a type of gearing in which the drivingconnection at and disconnection is made in an entirely automatic waAnother obJect is to utilize a gearing unit which will automaticallytake, care of variations in engine cylinder compression.

Further objects, and objects relating to economies of manufacture anddetails of construction will definitely appear from the detaileddescription to follow.

I accomplish the objects of my invention by the devices described in thefollowing specifications. My invention is clearly defined and pointedout in the appended claims.

A device constituting a preferred embodiment of my invention isillustrated in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of thisspecification, in which Figure I is a longitudinal section taken throughthe screw gearing, illustrating the as various driving parts indisconnection;

Figure II is a part longitudinal section taken through the resilientportion of the gear, and showing the various parts of the gear indriving relationship; and

Figure III is a cross section taken through the gearing along the linesIIIIII of Figure I.

Similar reference numerals refer .to similar parts throughout theseveral views, and the cross section is taken looking in the directionof the small arrows.

As illustrated in the drawing, there is shown a portion of the framework of an electric starting motor 1, which is of a type found mostsuitable for the erformance of the starting function, relative tointernal combustion engines. The motor has a drivlng shaft 2, upon whichis mounted a cylindrical sleeve 3. This sleeve has a threaded portion 4,and a smooth portion 5, the threaded portion being on, the end of thesleeve adjacent the motor, and these portions are separated from eachother by an annular flange 6, which is integral with the sleeve. On theinterior of the threaded portion of the sleeve, a key-way 7 is cut, anda key 8, secured in the motor shaft, is adapted to have slidingengagement in the key-way 7. The key-way slot extends to the inner endof the sleeve. so that the sleeve may readily be assembled upon theshaft. Rigidly secured to the motor shaft, adjacent the motor, is acup-shaped stop 9, the edges of which extend outwardly along and arallelwith the shaft, so that a portion of W the inner part of the sleeve isenveloped.

The outer terminal of the motor shaft is threaded to receive a terminalwasher 11, having shallow internally bent edges 12. In order to provideresiliency to the gearing, a coil spring 13 is utilized, which extendsaround the motor shaft intermediate the cup-shaped washer 11, in whichone end of the spring is adapted to seat, and the annular flange.Normally, this sprin exerts an a pressure against the flange was, thusforcing the sleeve which is longitudinally slidable in its key-way, tothe extreme inner position, the inner end of the sleeve can tacting withthe base of the cup-shaped stop As previously noted, the sleeve has anouter smooth portion which has a, diameter less than that of the innerdiameter of the coil spring 18, so that upon compression of the springby movement of the sleeve outwardly, this portion has free movementalong the motor shaft until it makes engagement with the terminal washer11.

Mounted upon the threaded portion of the sleeve, is an internallythreaded pinion 14, which is adapted to have longitudinal movement alongthe motor shaft, into en-' gagement with the gear 15. Ordinarily, inorder to assist the pinion in its operation, it is formed with acounter-weight 16, for a specific purpose hereinafter to be described.The gear 15 is directly connected to the crank shaft of the internalcorr bustion engine, and takes the form, ordinarily, of the fly-wheel ofthe engine.

In the actual operation of the dQVlCQ, the power drive is from the motorshaft, through the sleeve pinion and gear, to the crank shaft of theinternal combustion engine. The normal disconnected position 18 as shownin Figure I of the drawing. -When the motor is started with its shaft inrotation as indicated by the small curved arrow, the sleeve rotates withthe motor shaft, and the pinion through its inertia, and with theassistance of the unbalanced counter-weight, screws inwardly upon thesleeve without rotation. until it comes into complete enmeshment withthe gear wheel 15. In this p0s1- tion. the inner end of the pinion is incon tact with the outer edges of the stop 9, and since this stop isrigidly mounted upon the motor shaft, further inward motion of thepinion is completely prevented.

If there were no resilient elements in the mechanism, the pinion wouldimmediately tend to take on the rotational speed of the sleeve and motorshaft, and because of the great inertia of the engine, disastrous .eiffects such as stripping of the gear teeth would usually result. Throughthe employment of the coil spring, however, when the lateral movement ofthe pinion is stopped, the sleeve immediately begins to screw on thethreaded pinion, forcing itself outwardly against the expansive force ofthe spring 13, until the outer end of the sleeve comes into engagementwith the terminal washer 11; Bv this means, part of the rotational forceof the motor is absorbed in the compression of the spring, so that thestarting force is applied gadually to, the load gear, and breakage dueto the sudden jar of starting, which would otherwise result, isobviated.

it should he noted further, that the necessary parts are very limited,and that these parts can a assembled with reat ease.

I am aware that 'theparticular embodt gear operativey connected to anengine, :1

naaaeee relative to the shaft, said sleeve having a threaded portion anda smooth portion, and an integral annular flange between the threadedand smooth portions; a washer on the shaft; a spring inserted on saidshaft intermediate the washer and said flange; and a pinion havingthreaded engagement with the threaded portion of the sleeve and adaptedto make automatic engagement and disengagement with said gear, saidsmooth sleeve portion being adapted to form a posi- 3 tive drivingconnection to the starter shaft.

2. A starting mechanism. for internal con; bustion engines, comprisingin combination, a gear operatively connected to an engine; a startershaft; a sleeve mounted on said shaft so as to have axial movement onlyrelative to the shaft. said sleeve having a threaded portion and asmooth portion and an integral annular flange between the threaded andsmooth portions; a stop on one end of'said shaft; a washer on the otherend of said shaft; a spring inserted on said shaft intermediate thewasher and said flange; and a pinion having a threaded engagement withthe threaded portion of the 3 sleeve and adapted to move automaticallyinto engagement with said gear and said stop, said smooth sleeve portionbeing adapted to form a' positive driving conned tion between the sleeveand starter shaft.

3. in a starting mechanism for internal combustion engines, thecombination of gear operatively connected to an engine, starter shaft; acup-shaped stop fixed to one end of the shaft; a threaded sleeve on theshaft mounted to have axial movement only relative thereto, said. sleevehaving its end lying normally in the recess formed by the walls of saidoperative to oppose axial. movement of said sleeve; and a pinionthreadably mounted on said sleeve adapted to move automatically intooperative relation with said engine gear and into contact with saidstop, whereby said gear may move the sleeve axially againpt theexpansive force of the spring.

4. in a starting mechanism for internal combustion engines, thecombination of a starter shaft, a stop fined; to one and.

oi as J ll stop; a spring on said shaft ice non

'aeeaeea shaft and having over-ha portion extending parallel to butseparate from the shaft, a threaded sleeve on the shaft mounted to-haveaxial movement only relative thereto, said sleeve having its endextending normally between the shaft and the over-hanging portion ofsaid stop, resilient means to oppose axial movement of said sleeve awayfrom said stop, and a pinion threadedly mountea on said sleeve adaptefito move automatically into operative relation with said engine gear andinto contact with said stop, whereby said gear may move the sleeveaxially against said resilient means.

In testimony whereof, "I afix my signature.

WlLLlAM J. EICHENBERG.

